Do you know the difference between tin can and aluminum can? Many people are confused between tin and aluminum cans and use it interchangeably. Since there are plenty of uses of both the cans, the most common use for preserving and containing the food. The tin and aluminum cans protect the food from air and light. Another reason for their widespread use is that they are recyclable and durable. Though both the cans are used for the same purposes, they are not alike. Both the cans are manufactured using different materials, have distinctive properties, and varying manufacturing costs.

This post highlights the difference between aluminum and tin cans.

Availability

The tin cans are used as a storage container for a very long time. In 1810, tin was patented while aluminum was used in 1965.

How to Get Tin?

Tin is a crystalline metallic element that is workable at room temperature. It is obtained from the mineral, cassiterite; this is a compound of oxygen and tin. The refining process of tin makes it perfect for manufacturing. Tin is a rare material as it is ranked at 49 on the most abundant metals list.

Moreover, tin is not corrosive material, making it great for cans. Nowadays, the tin can is made of steel with a thin plating of tin. This is to prevent the steel from corroding.

How Aluminum is Obtained?

As far as aluminum is concerned, it is a metallic element just like tin. The difference is that aluminum is available in abundance and is ranked at 3 in the most abundant metals list. Earths crust contains 8.2% aluminum and 0.001% tin. When it comes to refining, it is challenging to refine aluminum and it is available in compounds in nature. For instance, aluminum oxide and potassium aluminum sulphate.

Over the years, many refining processes have been used. The aluminum cans are made using alloys of aluminum. The alloys are known for being lightweight and strong.

Which is Better?

When it comes to deciding which is better, it is difficult to make a final decision. The aluminum cans are light in weight than tin cans, but tin cans are more durable. Aluminum cans are efficient when it comes to recycling. The cost of recycling aluminum is more than enough to cover the costs of recycling cans and collecting aluminum cans.

Aluminum is the 9th most abundant material that can be found everywhere in the world. This means that it will not be expensive to develop. Since tin is a rare metal, it is expensive to use for everyday objects. When it comes to the colour of aluminum can, it is silvery white whereas tin has silvery grey colour.

In the end, both the cans are good, but aluminum is better since it can be developed cheaply. If you are looking for good quality tin cans, Yicheng is the name to rely on. We have been providing excellent quality tin cans in various shapes and designs.